An Ode to Law School

Tomorrow morning I graduate from law school. PJO, Timmy, my parents, brothers and PJO's parents will all be there supporting me. Many of the good friends I have made will be beside me. The professors that have mentored me will stand before me. I'll be there to bid adieu to a great experience and chapter of my life.

I remember that first day of orientation, being so nervous because everyone always talks about how hard law school is and because I didn't know what to expect. I honestly didn't even know what a tort was until about halfway through my first class. That seems like just yesterday except now law school is the furthest thing from daunting. It's more like my comfort zone now.

If there is one thing law school has taught me, it's to believe in myself (despite infrequent meltdowns). I've always been independent and usually very self-confident, but sometimes when everything rolls off my back so easily, it is just an outward manifestation of and overcompensation for the insecurity I secretly feel. These days, I really believe in myself even when the odds are stacked against me. If I had told that nervous girl at orientation that I would be graduating a married mother of one with a good job lined up and mostly good memories of law school, I am not sure I would have believed it myself.

The past three years have reminded me that it's dangerous to compare yourself to others. I got through school by doing what seemed right to me and ignoring what everyone else said and did. I can count the number of times I stayed up past midnight doing work on one hand. Sometimes I would sit in a class on the first day and feel completely overwhelmed by the amount of work I would need to do in order to really understand the material. Feeling that way made eventually learning everything that much more rewarding.

I honestly hope that even if my days as a student are over, I remember and apply the lessons I've learned here to all aspects of my life. Whatever path my career follows and wherever I end up, I will really cherish memories from these past three years.

It makes me want to cry thinking about everything thhat my family has done to help me get here. I remember when I moved out here from New York and I needed a car, my parents both gave me some money for a down payment. My dad drove me up to school for a tour and my mom sent care packages during finals. They always seemed really proud that I was in law school...

My biggest thanks has to go to PJO. I mean seriously, he sacrificed more than I did for law school. He moved away from his family for the first time--across the country no less--to be with me. He worked and supported me while I brought in no money. Not only that, but he put up with wedding nonsense and then baby nonsense. I always say "we paid for our own wedding" but really, PJO paid for it (since I had no income). He makes a lot of little sacrifices all the time... like taking off work the days I have final exams and taking Timmy out to play so I can study.
He put up amazingly well with all the ridiculous law school talk that inevitably permeated every social event we went to and didn't complain. I think he even tried to learn some of the stuff I was studying so that we could talk about it together. Most of all he was loving, patient and kept me incredibly grounded.

Up until now I hadn't felt proud for graduating law school. Law school was just my occupation...it was just what I did. Graduating was simply the logical result. But when I think about how quickly the last three years have passed by, it suddenly reminds me of the blur that Timmy's babyhood has been. Before it's too late, I want to really stop and soak up every minute. This was truly one of the best times of my life, maybe not in the same way that college was, but no less great. Instead of being sad that it's over, I want to be happy to be finishing and successfully moving on to the next great thing in my life, whatever that may be!